Your Family’s Health: Five Tooth-Healthy Tips

When your family maintains excellent oral health, they also get to enjoy the perks of improved overall heath and quality of life. Some of the benefits of having healthy teeth and gums include:

Decreased Risk of Heart Attack: Studies show that people who follow good oral hygiene practices and maintain their oral health have a significantly reduced chance of heart disease and heart attacks.

Increased Self-Esteem: Regular visits to Vancouver dentist Dr. David Hanson will keep your smile white and your breath fresh, helping you feel and look your best. During a routine cleaning, Dr. Hanson removes stains that have occurred from eating and drinking foods that cause discoloration. And the occurrence of halitosis is much lower for those that maintain great oral health.

Better Performance in School and on the Job: Gum disease and cavities cause both adults and children discomfort and even illness. Studies show that 51 million school hours and 164 million work hours are missed each year because of dental disease.

Ensuring that every member of the family brushes at least twice a day and flosses once each day provides a solid foundation for healthy teeth. However, the following tips will help keep everyone’s teeth healthy in between brushings and well on the way to a lifetime of beautiful smiles.

Tip #1: Seal and Protect: Dr. Hanson can apply a thin, protective plastic coating, called a dental sealant, to the chewing surfaces of your back teeth to protect them from decay. This painless treatment is most often done to protect children’s vulnerable young teeth by blocking off the naturally occurring crevices that trap food particles, but it can be done easily for patients of all ages.

Tip #2: Skip the Sweets: When sugars are broken down by the bacteria in your mouth, an acid results that destroys the protective enamel on your teeth, leaving them vulnerable to decay. Taking the family out to dinner for pizza? Instead of soda, order a pitcher of water with lemon. In the mood for after-dinner dessert? Opt for fresh fruit instead of sugary confections, especially those of the sticky variety.

Tip #3: Rinse and Chew After Every Meal: Carry antibacterial mouthrinse and sugarless gum in your purse or car wherever you go. Give your mouth a quick rinse after each meal, even if you don’t have time to brush. If you don’t have mouthrinse, water is the next best bet. Give a good swish to dislodge water and wash away food debris. Pop a stick of sugarless gum in your mouth. It will increase the flow of saliva, washing away bacteria and neutralizing harmful acids.

Tip #4: Fortify With Fluoride: Fluoride strengthens enamel, protecting teeth from decay. Many toothpastes and mouthrinses have fluoride in them; however, Dr. Hanson can apply fluoride directly to your teeth to fortify them even further. Fluoride is most critical for children ages 6 months to 16 years of age, but treatments are appropriate for people of all ages.

Tip #5: Brush Without Brushing: Pack your meals with foods that brush your teeth naturally. Crisp, firm fruits and veggies clean your teeth while you chew. Finish up feasting with apples, carrots, or celery and enjoy the feeling of a fresh, clean, mouth.

To find out how you can keep your family enjoying tip-top oral heath, contact Creekside Dental in Vancouver, WA at (360) 695-1515.